He approached her slowly, towering over her in his enormous black cloak, his pallid hands reaching out toward her. "You--You are?" she said, in a very small voice. "Yes," he said, eyes and teeth glinting. "I had a rather ... _unfruitful_ ... night's work. But now I feel that everything will soon be all right." His gaze shifted from her eyes to her throat, and she suddenly felt chilly. "Mister Thobal," she said quickly, "I have good news for you." "You have?" he said, surprised into halting a few paces from her. "For me? You have news for me?" "Yes," she said, with what she hoped was infectious delight. "You won't have to sleep in that dirty box anymore.... Look!" She turned to her left and, reaching out a hand, flicked a switch. Instantly, reflecting from the inner walls and soil of the box, a bright, warm light came alive. "It'll keep your mushrooms _much_ warmer than _you_ ever could!" she said, turning back to him. "It's a _sunlamp_!" But, as she completed her turn, Vandor Thobal was not in evidence. His suit, cloak, and shoes were still there, however, sagging horribly into a viscous brown-and-green puddle on the floor of the room. "Goodness!" said Mrs. Tibbets, leaping to her feet. "Now I _am_ worried!" THE END